The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, Oct.24, 1918
FLU CLAIMED ANOTHER SOLDIER BOY: Pneumonia resulting from influenza claimed another of this township's army boys, Private Arthur Johnson, Co. L, 46th U.S.Inf. At Fort Sheridan, Ala. The parents were notified of his sickness and were arranging to go to his aid when they were notified that he was dead. The body was sent home at once accompanied by Corporal Chas. Hicks of Olena, a comrade. Funeral services were conducted at the home 2 1Ú2 miles southwest of Stronghurst.
The deceased was the son of Mr. and Mrs. C.A.Johnson and was 29 years, 9 months and 23 days old. Previous to entering the service he lived with his parents. The immediate relatives surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.A.Johnson; four brother, John, Frank, Waldo and Victor and two sisters, Mrs. John McKeown, Jr. and Esther, all of this vicinity.
COMMUNITY CLUB NOTES: The library department of the Club has recently been greatly enriched by donations of a large number of valuable books covering various lines of thought. A special thanks goes to Mrs. H.D.Wells and to the Drew family for their gifts. (List of books printed in article)
CAUGHT THE THIEVES: Albert Rodgers and A.L. Garfield of Chicago are now inmates of the county jail awaiting the action of the grand jury on the charge of theft of an auto belonging to Elmer Swedland of Lomax. The car was stolen at the Henderson County Centennial at Oak Grove Fruit Farm. The men were traced to Omaha, Nebr. where they were arrested by Sheriff C.L. Knox.
FOUND A "FLOATER:" N.B.Curry and T.C.Knutstrom went duck hunting on the river employing Elmer Norris, a fisherman at Shokokon to row them down stream in his skiff. When about a mile and a half below Shokokon, they saw an object floating near the shore on the east side of Big Island. After proceeding further down river, it occurred to the men that the object they had seen resembled a human body and they decided to row to shore and send one of their number to investigate. Curry went back and found that their suspicions had been correct; for in the shallow water close to shore was the body of a man which had evidently been in the water for a number of days. He called to the others and the men drew the corpse to the edge of the stream and made it fast to a tree by means of a rope. Later they notified the authorities of Henderson County and also of Burlington. Officials from Burlington went down to the place where the body was located and found it to be that of Sam Roberts, a Burlington young man who had been missing for several days and who it is believed drowned himself in a fit of despondency.
***OBITUARY***MRS. LEONE CAROTHERS FURRER: Mrs. Furrer died at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.W.Carothers in Dallas City from pneumonia which followed an attack of influenza. The deceased was a bride of but a few months, her husband being Corporal Clinton T. Furrer of Camp Fremont, Calif. Cpl. Furrer obtained a furlough on learning of his wife's illness and left for Dallas City at once, but failed to arrived there until 3 days after his wife had passed away. Funeral services were held at Dallas City. Mrs. Furrer's early years were spent in Stronghurst.
***MRS. C.S.GRAY*** Annie E. McClelland was born Aug.4, 1875 in Washington County, Va. and died at her home 5 miles southwest of Stronghurst Oct.16, 1918. On Jan.1, 1900 she married Mr. C.S.Gray and to this union six children were born: Mary Katherine, Charles McClelland, Susie Glenn, Ella Mae, Opal Anna and Clifford Samuel, the latter being only four years of age. In addition to the husband and children, she is survived by one brother and two sisters living at Abingdon, Va. Mrs. Gray was a member of the M.E.Church. Funeral services were held in the home with interment in the Stronghurst Cemetery.
1893 GRAPHIC: James Cobb, alias John Smith, a smooth criminal who had operated in this vicinity and robbed a number of farmers for whom he had work, had just been convicted at Quincy of shooting James Knox, an Adams County farmer, five years previous. He was sentenced to 10 years in the penitentiary. W.E.Salter's grocery was entered by burglars who took a number of watches and other pieces of jewelry belonging to Jeweler Grigsby, who rented space in the store. Thomas Morgan, father of the late George J. Morgan, died at his home near Terre Haute, Ill. on Oct. 14 at the age of 82 years. During the 55 days preceding the date of this issue had been shipped from this station, 26 cars of stock, 80 cars of grain and 2 cars of hay. Receipts at the local Santa Fe Station for the month of September showed a gain of $1,124.85 over the corresponding month of the previous year. Prices were improving and the era of "hard times" seemed to be about over.
LETTER FROM HARRY E.PRATT AT CAMP DEVENS, MASS. to his aunt, Mrs. Claire White: "I got into camp one day late, but captain was O.K. and also got into an awful mess of "Spanish Influenza" with over 100 dying each day. You never saw so many sick. They are lined up each morning and two thirds of each company goes to infirmary. We have 60 sick in one house besides the sick in the hospital. Tonight spinal meningitis has started and over 10,000 sick; everyone has been scared for some time. The mayor said the Regulars would be sent home for 40 days-that is the well ones...We sure are getting lots of work and drilling. I have been in kitchen in charge of the meat department. " Harry Pratt
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Mrs. Nellie Ferguson of Sacramento, Calif., is visiting at the home of her mother, Mrs. Harriet Curry. The new heating plant at the courthouse in Oquawka has been completed and the fire started. Miss Sarah Doak of New Martinsville, W.Va. has been visiting at the home of her brother, F.V.Doak, south of town. Floyd Clark has sold his restaurant on the corner of Broadway and Main St. to Walter Keener of Burlington, Iowa, who will move his family to the village and continue business at the same location. Ralph Douglas, son of the pastor of the Biggsville U.P. church has been commissioned a lieutenant in the army and assigned to Camp Hancock. So far no new cases of influenza have been reported in the community. Western Illinois Utilities Co. has purchased of C.H.Curry the triangular plat of ground opposite his residence on Commercial St. And will erect a sub station from which electrical energy will be distributed throughout the village. The poles for the Stronghurst extension of the new line have nearly all been set and the work for completion of the system will be pushed as rapidly as possible.
The city of Monmouth was without religious services in any of its churches last Sabbath for the first time in 70 years. (Influenza) John Lant, who has been farming in the Red River Valley in Minnesota, has returned to Illinois and is making his home in Monmouth. Mrs. A.E. Francen received word that her son Guy was very low with influenza and bronchitis at Camp Sheridan, Ala. Newton Kern and wife of Media area have purchased a residence from Rae Nordstrom and are preparing to move to the village. Mrs. H.W.Wells sold her household goods in preparation for going to Washington, D.C. where she will live with relatives.
LETTER FROM FRANCE: GEORGE PEASLEY: "We are kept very busy; I am working in aviation division now as seen, flying and repairing. Hope to get into the motor department later. The "Liberty Motor" is used nearly altogether in Hydroplanes...We had a good boxing entertainment last night where an ex-champion fought a 10 round bout with a heavy weight at this station; also several other matches which were fast and good demonstrations of the manly art of self defense.
I am getting used to the country and don't mind it as much as when we first landed. The people are much like the Americans when one learns to understand a little of what they say and becomes used to their different ways of doing things. The French are very open in the things they do; but their homes and buildings are built just the reverse. Door of the business houses are very large and when closed look like the fire curtain of a large theater...It would seem funny to see "Red" Towler with a gun on his shoulder and Dale Davis getting some of the government's good meals and also some of its early rising powder-for instance, fire drill at 3 a.m. or night guard...The city of(name deleted) is nearly run by the American army. They have built a railroad from her to the front-just temporary. The trip is made in two hours shorter time then the permanent French one. This is an example of the difference of speed in the two nations.
There are all kinds of chances to meet French women, but around here the class is somewhat undesirable. While at Bordeaux, we met some very nice people who invited us to their home for meals. But Oh! The French bread. It is so hard one has to whet his knife as if he were going to butcher a beef. If we had bread at the restaurant we had to have checks from the camp. If they would raise less grapes for wine and more rye and wheat, bread would not be so scarce. The soil is clay and stony so suppose it would not raise anything but grapes. We do not find money of much use. I drew my pay so have several Francs now; if one carried French money around with him for a week or two, it wears out."-George, U.S.Naval Station, Pauellac, France (This is a summary of a much longer letter.)
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: There are no cases of influenza in town that are known. Mr. and Mrs. John Ditto started on their return trip to western Missouri. Mrs. Chas. Forward was taken ill at her home. Notice was served on parents in town to keep children home in their own yard while school is closed. Mr. and Mrs. George Miller received a cablegram from France that their son, Frank, died Sept.25th of acute pneumonia. Edgar Gray, east of town, has been very ill but is reported growing better.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: The church and school of the village have been closed the past few weeks on account of the "flu." Quite a number here and in the surrounding country are afflicted with it. Dr. Ditto of Gladstone has been treating most of the flu cases with good results. Mr. and Mrs. Will Hicks and son Keith and Lee Davis made an overland trip to Morning Sun, Iowa. Thirty-six men who were called to report at Oquawka for U.S. service answered the call, but the program had been changed for their removal and they were told to keep themselves in readiness. Osia Reynolds has been in a training camp in Georgia. H.S.Lant had received a letter from Wilbur Huston "Somewhere in France" stating that he was well and that he was seeing actual service. He modestly stated he had been made a corporal. Elmer Cooper wrote his parents from France that he was being moved toward the front line, but that he was all right and hoped to be able to get a few Huns.(Germans) Mr. and Mrs. Alex Marshall heard from their son Will that he was well and altogether as he has been many weeks in the thickest of the fray. Wm. Gibson and family have moved to Burlington. Jesse Hicks is having some cement walks laid at his home north of the village; Jeff Reynolds is doing the work. Charles Lyons, who is strictly on the "water wagon" is having a new well dug. Mr. Fisher of Hopper is doing the work.
LOMAX LINGERINGS: The Santa Fe had three tank cars leave the rails near the depot causing considerable damage to the interlocker plant and track. No school, church or public gatherings were held this past week. Guy Shanks will soon leave for training camp. The Boiler Co. is negotiating for new products to manufacture. F.A. Magers has been building an entrance room at the Tiwappity school.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. and Mrs. Will Tracy spent the last week with the lady's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Abe Magee. Corey Aykens and his uncle, Mr. Will Altman, loaded a car with their household goods and stock for Dexter, Minn. Mr. John Parry, who has been sick all summer, still remains quite poorly. Messrs. Bernie Breen, Gene Williamson and Arthur Peterson, the three young men who were called to report at Oquawka, were notified not to appear as they would not call any more men from Illinois on account of Spanish Influenza.